Bite-Size Snacks With Big Flavor to Control Your Portions

When it comes to snacking, it’s easy to go overboard. If you’re not careful, you can easily find yourself eating an entire bag of chips or laying waste to a can of mixed nuts. Keeping between-meal eating in check is easier if you carefully control portion size. One way to do that is to choose bite-size snacks and limit yourself to a just one or two pieces at a time. That way, you get all the satisfaction of a yummy snack without ruining your dinner (or expanding your waistline). Here are five snacks that may be tiny in size, but are big in flavor.

1. Cream Cheese Wontons

Cream cheese wontons | iStock.com

Skip the trip to the fast food Chinese place and make these taste-alike cream cheese wontons at home instead. You only need five ingredients to prepare this dish from CopyKat, which serves four.

Ingredients:

Vegetable shortening or oil, for frying

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1½ tablespoons thinly sliced scallions (green onions)

Garlic powder (optional)

Wonton wrappers

Directions: Add the vegetable shortening to a medium pot and heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. (Or use a deep fryer if you have one.)

Combine the cream cheese and scallions. Add a little garlic powder if you like. Scoop roughly 1 teaspoon of cream cheese onto a wonton wrapper. Brush some water on the edges of the wonton wrapper, then fold diagonally to form a triangle. Seal the edges completely to keep the filling inside during cooking. Twist the two opposite corners of the wonton together. Use a little more water to make the corners stick to each other. Repeat with remaining cream cheese and wonton wrappers.

Once the shortening is hot, drop 4 to 5 prepared wontons into the oil. Cook for about 1 minute, then remove from the pan. (If the oil in your pan is shallow, you may need to turn the wontons during cooking.) Drain cooked wontons on paper towels and then serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

2. Zucchini Pizza Bites

Top sliced zucchini with marinara, cheese, and pepperoni for a pizza-flavored snack | iStock.com

Pizza as a snack doesn’t have to be unhealthy. Rather than a traditional crust, this five-ingredient recipe from Damn Delicious uses thinly sliced zucchini as a base. Once topped with marinara sauce, cheese, and pepperoni and baked in the oven, you’ll have a satisfying snack that won’t blow your diet.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 zucchini, cut into ¼-inch thick rounds

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

⅓ cup marinara sauce

½ cup finely grated mozzarella

¼ cup pepperoni minis

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (optional)

Directions: Turn on broiler. Add olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high. Add zucchini to the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side, turning once. You may need to work in batches to avoid over-crowding the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place zucchini slices on the baking sheet and then top each with some marinara sauce, mozzarella, and mini pepperoni.

Transfer to oven and broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until cheese has melted. Remove from oven, sprinkle with Italian seasoning if desired, and serve immediately.

3. Egg and Cheese Mini Muffins

Mini egg muffins | iStock.com

Eggs and cheese are baked together to form snack-size mini muffins that are perfect when you need a quick hunger fix. This easy-to-make snack is also freezer friendly, so you can prepare a big batch and always have a filling, wholesome snack ready to go. You’ll need a mini muffin tin to make this recipe from The Seasoned Mom.

Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in large measuring bowl. Pour eggs into prepared pan, filling each cup about 2/3 full. Sprinkle with cheese.

Transfer muffin pan to oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until eggs are set. Let cool in pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack. If not eating immediately, wrap each muffin in plastic wrap and store in freezer. Microwave frozen muffins for 15 to 30 seconds before serving.

4. Lox on Crackers

Lox on crackers | iStock.com

Bagels topped with cream cheese and lox may be delicious, but sometimes, you don’t want all those carbs. You can enjoy the same flavors in a smaller package when you make these bagel bite crackers, which consist of water crackers topped with a smear of sour cheese and a bit of smoked salmon and red onion. Recipe from Snack Girl.

Ingredients:

¼ pound smoked salmon (3 servings)

2 tablespoons sour cream

10 water crackers

Red onion, thinly sliced

Directions: Spread sour cream on a cracker. Top with a small piece of salmon and a slice of red onion. Serve.

5. Roasted Potato Bites

Double-baked red potatoes make the perfect snack | iStock.com

Indulge in the comforting flavors of a loaded baked potato without all the calories when you make these tasty roasted potato bites. You can serve these bite-size treats as an after-school snack or a simple party appetizer, and they reheat well, so you can enjoy the leftovers over the next couple of days. Recipe from Jelly Toast.

Ingredients:

10 to 12 small red skin potatoes

1½ tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

2/3 cup sour cream

3 strips of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 tablespoon chives, chopped

Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush potatoes with olive oil and place in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for about 25 minutes, until tender. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice potatoes in half. Use a melon baller or spoon to scoop out most of the insides of the potatoes and transfer to a bowl. Reserve hollowed out potatoes. Combine scooped potato with the sour cream, bacon, chives, and ½ cup of cheddar cheese. Stuff reserved potato skins with the potato and sour cream mixture. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake potatoes in oven for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are warmed through. Serve.

6. Date Wraps

Wrap dates in prosciutto for a simple snack | iStock.com

Prosciutto-wrapped dates are an easier to make cousin of bacon-wrapped dates, a classic party appetizer. These bite-sized treats don’t need to be cooked in the oven, so they’re incredibly quick to prepare, and it’s easy to make as few (or as many) as you need.

Ingredients:

16 thin slices prosciutto

16 whole pitted dates

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions: Wrap a slice of prosciutto around each date. Grind pepper on top. Serve.